I agree with the general point you're getting at, I just dont wholeheartedly agree. I'll take an environment of excessive depth that promotes intense competition over a different organizational paradigm anyday.

This is exactly the kind of environment these kids all need to be playing in. The Phantoms are abundant with talent finally after years of borderline mediocrity. Hextall is building a winning culture throughout the farm system and there's nothing wrong with. If some of our AHL players are briefly down playing in the ECHL, that (theoretically) helps that team as well. If those guys are too good for the ECHL, then they should excel down there. The team and player benefits from that.

Sure, it's not ideal in the long term, but guys like Fazleev, Leir, NAK, Morin, Sanheim etc need to learn how pro hockey works. There is a learning curve and there may be times in your early years even once you make it to the top level that you are scratched occasionally so that you can "reset" yourself both physically and mentally. The fact that this is being done at the NHL level with young guys like Konecny and Ghost shows that there will be no exceptions. Conversely, the same thing is happening for vets. Boyd Gordon made the team and has since been waived and demoted.

I know it's sometimes hard to appreciate, but I truly believe this is the best our organizational culture has looked top to bottom in a long, long time. I understand some may respond and say something along the lines of "for you to preach their is universal accountability and competition is wrong because Andrew MacDonald Chris VandeVelde are every game players". Thats a fair point, but coaches are always going to have favorite players they feel they can lean on. But at some point, that stuff evens itself out. We have to remain patient.

As good as Hextall has been, he's still a fairly new GM. The experience he got in LA as an Assistant obviously put him way ahead of the curve, but he's learning on the fly just like anybody else would be. Ditto Hakstol. I love the system and concepts Hak is trying to instill, but some of the personel decisions have been very suspect in his first 1.5 seasons. That's ok. He's learning too. He's made a huge jump from NCAA D1 to coaching grown men. He deserves an opportunity to learn as well.

It's been very bleak lately and easy to be overly hypocritical, but it wasn't long ago our attitudes were a complete 180 from where they are now because this team was winning. It has plenty of talent and without question has under-performed lately. Tweaks need to be made. Hex/Hak have a strict vision in place and are sticking to it. As a fan, I want that continuity.

Last point Ill raise in this rant is that I'm certain Hextall has been trying to do whatever possible to try and tweak this team. However, the entire league has basically been frozen by this incoming expansion draft. No one is making deals because every GM is looking for something very specific. 30 teams have strict visions right now and wont make a deal unless they feel they unequivocally "win" and are getting back what they need. The deals will eventually come as more teams realize they are no longer in contention.

That, IMO, is what I think Ron is handcuffed by at the moment. He wants to give this team every opportunity to compete this year. But after a certain point, the writing will be on the wall. That's when guys like MDZ, Streit, etc could be dealt to help us continue to "re-tool".
- mochoson

Step 1: Trade the entire roster for Byfuglien
Step 2: Byfuglien eats the rest of the NHL
Step 3: Cup parade!!!

I guess you missed the part where I said it's not just prospects. Vets have to rotate. There are way too many players; it has nothing to do with scratching a kid a couple times to learn. Hextall needs to offload some guys because the roster is messy at the moment. That's just reality, and it's good for no one.
- Mononoke

I wholeheartedly, heartfeltly, honestly, imo, tbh, agree

I guess you missed the part where I said it's not just prospects. Vets have to rotate. There are way too many players; it has nothing to do with scratching a kid a couple times to learn. Hextall needs to offload some guys because the roster is messy at the moment. That's just reality, and it's good for no one.
- Mononoke

He just did. He recently sent two players to the ECHL.

He just did. He recently sent two players to the ECHL.
- MJL

Fazleev should be in the Phantoms lineup over Gordon imo

Keep calm and scratch Weise

Keep calm and scratch Weise
- Pelle31Forever

https://youtu.be/mQY8Zm7GGxs

Good highlights of Rubstov's first game from John Moore on youtube. Had a lot of decent chances. They were shutout last night but i didnt see any of it.

He just did. He recently sent two players to the ECHL.
- MJL

Willcox and Fazleev are not ECHL players and are through and through AHL players in ability and in merit, and that's where they need to be to develop. They were sent down for the day to play a game in Reading and were recalled today back to the AHL roster, so I'm not alone in thinking that and nothing has changed. As I said, it is a mess. To think they already traded Straka off the AHL roster a couple months ago too.

https://youtu.be/mQY8Zm7GGxs

Good highlights of Rubstov's first game from John Moore on youtube. Had a lot of decent chances. They were shutout last night but i didnt see any of it.
- hockeyphan25

Saint John is a powerhouse and might be a Memorial Cup team. It was kind of a survival game with Chicoutimi's goalie standing on his head to keep it a one goal game. There were not a whole lot of chances and not much offensive traction for the Sags. Rubtsov made his fair share of nice defensive plays though to position well and get his stick on some pucks and transition the other way, and his line had a few chances at ES and on the PP, and he had an alright game considering, but it was just a real grind for the entire team. Dove-McFalls was pretty good the last 2 periods though.

Willcox and Fazleev are not ECHL players and are through and through AHL players in ability and in merit, and that's where they need to be to develop. They were sent down for the day to play a game in Reading and were recalled today back to the AHL roster, so I'm not alone in thinking that and nothing has changed. As I said, it is a mess. To think they already traded Straka off the AHL roster a couple months ago too.
- Mononoke

Get rid of Schultz, Streit, and VdV, bring up Morin, Hagg and Leier

Problem solved

Let's go Flyers!

LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!



LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!



LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!

Willcox and Fazleev are not ECHL players and are through and through AHL players in ability and in merit, and that's where they need to be to develop. They were sent down for the day to play a game in Reading and were recalled today back to the AHL roster, so I'm not alone in thinking that and nothing has changed. As I said, it is a mess. To think they already traded Straka off the AHL roster a couple months ago too.
- Mononoke

The Phantoms are one of the top teams in the AHL. Not bad for a team whose roster is a mess, and are poorly coached.

The Phantoms are one of the top teams in the AHL. Not bad for a team whose roster is a mess, and are poorly coached.
- MJL

I didn't say their roster is a mess in terms of talent. I said they have too many players who need to play, and it's a bit messy, and they really could afford to move a couple guys to have better roster cohesion. But artful dodge given Fact Master Blaster has nothing else to contribute to this conversation and was just proven wrong in his last post.

Step 1: Trade the entire roster for Byfuglien
Step 2: Byfuglien eats the rest of the NHL
Step 3: Cup parade!!!
- BiggE

Man what would the CORSI look like for that?

LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!



LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!



LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!
- ggunky

I didn't say their roster is a mess in terms of talent. I said they have too many players who need to play, and it's a bit messy, and they really could afford to move a couple guys to have better roster cohesion. But artful dodge given Fact Master Blaster has nothing else to contribute to this conversation and was just proven wrong in his last post.
- Mononoke

Man what would the CORSI look like for that?
- opeth_pa

It would be HUGE!!!

So you would like seeing Konecny on the 4th line or paired with Provorov? The other scratch options here are Weise Or Cousins. Considering Cousins was caught holding his wang on the second goal last Sunday he would've been my scratch.
- Baxter27

Konec-g-v
Schenn-coots-Simmonds
Raffl-cousins-read
VDV-belle-lube

Keep calm and scratch Weise
- Pelle31Forever

Guy is playing like a fourth liner and a bad one at that.

Umberger 2.0

I didn't say their roster is a mess in terms of talent. I said they have too many players who need to play, and it's a bit messy, and they really could afford to move a couple guys to have better roster cohesion. But artful dodge given Fact Master Blaster has nothing else to contribute to this conversation and was just proven wrong in his last post.
- Mononoke

Please explain what I was proven wrong about?

At least there is progress being made. Now it's just a bit messy. I think there is just a bit of manufactured drama.

LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!



LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!



LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!
- ggunky

(frank) the flyers! Let's go devils!

(frank) the flyers! Let's go devils!
- Bobd62

Your wit is breathtaking. Perhaps you can lighten the mood one day at Hank's retirement party when he laments about never having won a Cup while having to carry that joke of a franchise on his back for over a decade.

Now please get back underneath your bridge

Your wit is breathtaking. Perhaps you can lighten the mood one day at Hank's retirement party when he laments about never having won a Cup while having to carry that joke of a franchise on his back for over a decade.

Now please get back underneath your bridge
- BiggE

Awwwwww what's wrong big man?tired of getting your butts kicked? Don't worry your endless prospect pool is right around the corner, the same place it's been for the last twenty years.